Program Overview

Bachelor of Arts in Art

Art Overview

Ottawa University’s undergraduate degrees in Art will teach you how to use art as a means of visual communication. You will explore different media and techniques while developing your own talents in drawing, painting, design, sculpture, and other varied crafts. Our courses will foster your individual creativity and cultural identity, as well as promote sensitivity, self-exploration, creativity, and multicultural awareness as you study the significance of different works of art in various contexts.

Career Opportunities

An art degree can open the door to careers in:

• Art education
• Art history
• Painting
• Sculpture
• Illustration
• Publishing
• Advertising
• Art collection and appraisal
• Museum management
• Graphic design
• Theater, film, or video production

Where Art is Offered

Art is offered at the following locations:

• Ottawa, KS (Residential Campus)

Art Courses

Art Major Courses

• Art Fundamentals: Introduction to the visual arts through careful observation, discussion, and analysis students interpret significant works of art. Prerequisite to all upper-level art classes.
• Art History I: Surveys visual arts from the Paleolithic Era through the European Proto-Renaissance. Practice of formalist and contextualist analysis by interpreting visual art from personal, historic, and cultural/global perspectives.
• Art History II: Surveys visual arts from the European Renaissance to the Post-Modern Era. Practice of various forms of analysis by interpreting theories, schools, styles, Modernist and Post-Modern approaches.
• Drawing & Composition I: Intermediate level drawing course. Covers drawing by observation and institution, expression through a variety of media, and study of composition. Preparation of drawing portfolio required.
• Design I: Applies basic design concepts such as line, shape, and color, acted on by principles such as harmony and contrast. Knowledge of psychology/perception, mechanical drawing, and/or commercial art helpful.
• Design II: Study of three-dimensional design concepts. Form and space created and acted on by using a variety of media such as paper, wood, and clay to produce three-dimensional designs. Spans industrial and environmental design to sculpture in the fine arts tradition.
• Art Comprehensive: Preparation of a portfolio(s) and/or exhibition of senior art students' works. Complete major works of art that represent particular focus in art. Secondary Art Methods and Studio Arts majors prepare a resource file and lesson plans, as well as exemplars for teaching art.

Additional Courses for Drawing/Painting/Design Emphasis

• Painting I: Intermediate level painting course. Covers painting techniques using traditional media, such as watercolor, oil, tempera, and acrylic. Develops expression of ideas, painting skills, studio discipline, and understanding of historic styles.
• One of the following, depending on emphasis:
  • Graphic Art
  • Drawing & Composition II
  • Painting I
• 7-12 semester credit hours of advanced studio courses and/or internship.

Additional Courses for Sculpture/Crafts/Design Emphasis

• Ceramics I: Introduces working with clay through practice of wheel-thrown and hand-building techniques to make vessels and sculpture. Introduces glazing and firing techniques.
• Ceramics II: Intermediate level studio pottery course. Maintenance of studio space and production of works as part of a series or sequence as well as exploration of a variety of glazing and firing techniques.
• 7-12 semester credit hours of advanced studio courses and/or internship.

Concentrations

• Art / PreK-12 Education Concentration

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC)
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

• Colleges of Distinction
• GOLD Military Friendly School

Why Choose Ottawa?

Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.